Corn husker and shredder and ensilage-cutter.



No. 701,397. Patented lune 3, I902. A. ROSENTHAL.

CORN HUSKER AND SHBEDDER AND ENSILAGE CUTTER.

(Application filed June 14. 1901.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet I.

m x P r fill? i my (Q Q N P: eh K VI :3 N I fil J: "IL I N a a, g 35mmPatented June 3, I902.

A. ROSENTHAL. CORN HUSKER AND SHREDDER AND ENSILAGE CUTTER.

(Application filed June 14, 1901) 4 Sheets-8heet 2.

(No Model.)

Patented June 3, I902..

A. BOSENTHAL.

CORN HUSKER AND SHREDDER AND ENSILAGE CUTTER.

(Application filed June 14, 1901.)

4 Sheds-Shea 3.

(No Model.)

N0. 70!,397. Patented lune 3, I902. A. ROSENTHAL.

CORN HUSKER AND SHREDDER AND ENSILAGE CUTTER.

(Applicat icn filed June 14, 1901.) Modem 4 Sheets-Sheefi 4.

m: upnms PETERS cc. Pnoto-urbiouwnsnmsmn, u c.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

AUGUST RO SENTHAL, OF HILNAUKEE, XVISOONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO ROSEN- TI'IALI-IUSKER COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

CORN HUSKER AND SHREDDER AND ENSlLAGE-CUTTER.

SPEUIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 701,397, dated June 3,1902.

Application filed June 14, 1901. Serial No. 64,504. (No model.)

T at whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUST ROSENTHAL, residing at Milwaukee, in thecounty of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Cornlluskers and Shredders and Ens'ilage-Outters,

of which the following is a description, ref

erence being had to the accompanying drawings, which are part of thisspecification.

My invention has relation to improvements in corn huskers and shreddersand ensilagecutters.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a construction wherebythe machine ordinarily adapted as a corn husker and shredder is readilyconvertible into a machine for cutting ensilage.

A further object is to provide an improvement in the general arrangementand combination of the machine as a Whole whereby efficiency andconvenience in operation is promoted. a

A further object resides in the provision of means whereby the stalkswhen initially fed to the machine are compelled to assume a verticalposition, thereby permitting the front ends of the husking-rollers toreadily sever the stalks from the ears.

A still further object resides in an improved construction forseparating the shelled corn from the stalks.

With the above objects and other incidental objects in view theinvention consists of the devices and parts or their equivalents, ashereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of themachine arranged as a corn husking and shredding machine. Fig. 2 is anelevation of the opposite side to that shown in Fig. 1, parts beingbroken away and in section. Fig. 3 is aplan View of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4is a side elevation of the machine arranged as an ensilage-cutter.

Any desired form offrameworkforsupporting the operative parts of themachine may be provided. The framework 5 shown in the accompanyingdrawings, however, has ,been found to be desirable. If it is desiredthat the machine should be portable, the framework is mounted uponwheels 6.

Referring to the form of construction shown so as to almost contact.

in Figs. 1 and 3, an upper removable frame 7 is supportedon top of thelower frame 5, said upper frame being provided with end posts 8, whichfit loosely in keepers 9, secured at opposite ends of inclined sidebeams 10 10, arranged at the top of the frame 5, the said beams being ona gradual decline from the front end of the frame to the rear thereof.The lower edges of the side boards of the 6o frame '7 are on a gradualdecline and rest on the top edges of the side beams. Arrangedlongitudinally in the lower portion of the frame 7 and journaled in theend pieces of said frame and ona gradual upward incline from the rear tofront of the machine are huskingrollers. These several rollers may be ofany desirable construction; butlprefer to employ rollers of the specificconstruction shown in the drawings. These rollers are arranged in pairs,two of the rollers of one pair beingindicated by the numerals 11 11' andthe two rollers of the other pair by the numerals 12 12. A substantialspace is left between the two pairs of rollers, while the two rollers ofeach of the two pairs are in close proximity, The highest ends of theseseveral rollers constitute the receiving ends thereof, while theremaining portions thereof constitute the bushing parts. The frontreceiving ends are provided with longitudinal rows ofradially-projecting teeth 13, which rows of teeth alternate with eachother longitudinally, the rows of teeth of one roller of one pairentering the intermediate spaces axially or longitudinally of the otherroller as the rollers revolve. These teeth as the corn is fed to theroller-stake hold of the stalksand pull said stalks between the rollers.The husking portions of the inner rollers 11 0 and 12 are provided witha number of projecting husking-pins 14 and the outer rollers 11 and 12with'registering recesses 15 to receive saidpins as the-rollers revolve.The rollers 11 and 12 are also shown ashaving 5 secured theretodiamOnd-Shaped-nipp'ers 16 16, and the rollers 11 and 12-are-formedwithrecesses 17 17, which tare so loc'ated as to receive therein theprojecting edgesof the nippers as the rollers revolve toward each other.10

The upper portion of the frame 7 is in the form of a hopper 18. lVithinthis hopper and extending from the rear end thereof forwardly toward thefeed end of the rollers is a downwardly inclined board 19. Thecornstalks are fed horizontally into'the hopper, with the ears pointingtoward the rear end of the hopper. The inclined board will permit onlythe ends of the stalks which point toward the forward end of the hopperbeing acted upon in the first instance by the rollers, the feed endsonly-of said rollers being permitted to grasp the stalks. The teeth '13at these feed ends of the rollers act on the stalks and etfect'thepulling of said stalks between the rollers, the pulling action drawingthe stalks toward a more or less vertical position, and hence therebyadapting them to pass readily between the rollers and gradually workdown into the the rollers.

more narrow spaces between the feed ends of The nippers 16 also comeinto play as the rollers are revolved. Said nippers during suchrevolution pass into the recesses 17, and the stalks are therebynecessarily pulled in between the points or edges of the nippers and thewalls of the recesses, be-

ed upon by the husking-pins 14 and are thereby stripped ofthei'r husks,said husks being carried between the rollers. The hnsked ears finallyslide off the rear ends of the rollers into a suitable receptacle.

I-Ieretofore a long inclined board, such as 19, has not been employed inthis class of machines, and consequently the oornstalks fed horizontallyto the rollers are not always efiectually grasped by the teeth 13 andpulled between the rollers. inclined board the pulling of the stalksbetween the rollersis made positive and certain, and at the same time aconsiderable saving in the length of the rollers is effected. In othermachines of the same class in which the cornstalks are fed in sheaves orbundles horizontally and lengthwise of the rollers, so that the fulllength of the stalks is at once deposited on the rollers, the portionsof said rollers containing the teeth 13 and the nippers 16 must be equalin length to the length of the cornstalks, as otherwise said cornstalkswould extend onto the husking portions of the rollers and be acted uponby the shorter than the stalks, and yet the severing of the stalks fromthe ears accomplished before the stalks can reach the husking portionsof the rollers.

The numeral 20 indicates the main d rivin gshat't from which motion isconveyed to the several moving parts of the machine. This By theprovision of this nal of one of the rollers, said extended journal beingshown in the accompanying drawings as extendingfrom the roller 12. Thejournals of the rear ends of the rollers have mounted thereonintermeshing gears 27. It is obvious that the rotation of thedriving-shaft will cause the transverse shaft 2% to be rotated, and thatthe rotation of this latter shaft will be communicated to one of therolls, and the rotation of this roll in turn communicated to'all of theseveral rolls by means of the intermeshing gear-wheels 27.

Extending longitudinally of the lower portion of the hopper is mechanismfor cutting the twine which binds the bundles or sheaves of corn, itbeing understood that the corn is not deposited in the hopper in a loosecondition, but in bundles orsheaves tied with twine. This cuttingmechanism consists of a longitudinal bar 28, having on its upper edge aseries of saw-like teeth 29. The inclined board 19 is slotted, asindicated by the nnmeral 30, in order to permit of the freereciprocation of the toothed bar 28. At its forward end the bar 28 isprovided with a projecting link or elongated slotted portion 31, whichlink or slotted portion receives a transverse pin 32. The rear end ofthe bar, 28 is hung on a crank 33, formed on a transverse shaft 3t.' Thedriving-shaft 20 has also mounted thereon the shredding and cuttingmechanism 35. A casing 30 surrounds this cutting and shreddingmechanism, and from the open bottom of the casing leads downwardly aconduit 37, which communicates with an opening in the top of afan-casing 38. shaft 39 passes through this casing, and mounted on theshaft within the casing is a fan 40. Extending from the fan-casing is aconduit 41, into which the cut and shredded cornstalks are forced fromthe fan-casing by the action of the fan and through said conduit to theplace of deposit. The fanshaft is rotated by means of a belt 42, whichpasses around a belt-pulley 43, mounted on the fan-shaft, and alsoaround a beltpulley 44, mounted upon the main. drivingshaft 20. By theparticular arrangement and disposition of the parts described theshredding and cutting mechanism and the fan mechanism are compactlyarranged at the forward end of the machine with one immediately belowthe other.

Extending longitudinally of the upper portion of the lower frame 5 andbeneath the husking-rollers and on the same incline as said rollers is aplatform 45, composed of a series of slats spaced apart, and therebypro- .47 are two feed-rolls 50 50, one arranged above the other. On oneend of one of these feed-rolls is a pinion 51, and this pinion is inmesh with a toothed wheel 52 on the drivingshaft 20. The pinion 51 isalso in mesh with an idle pinion 53, and'said idle pinion in turn is inmesh with a pinion 54 on the axis of the roller 49 of the conveyor-belt47. gearing the conveyor-belt 47 is driven from the drive-shaft 20. Themotion given to the conveyor-belt will of course rotate the rear roller48, and the rotation of this rear roller is utilized for impartingrotation to the shaft 34, this being accomplished by means of asprocket-chain 55, which passes around a sprocket-wheel 56 on theroller48 and thence upwardly and around another sprocket-wheel 57 on theshaft 34.

Below the slatted platform or sieve is a receptacle 58, having itsbottom inclined from opposite ends to a common discharge-opening 59.

In the use and application of my invention as a corn shredding andhusking machine the main shaft 20 is rotated in the manner here inbeforepointed out, and this will cause movement to be imparted to the severalrotatable and movable portions of the machine. A tied bundle of thecornstalks is then deposited in the hopper 18,'with the ears of cornpointing toward the rear of the machine.

" The'stalks of course lie on the inclined board 13 thereof and arepulled between the rollers and toward a Vertical position and graduallywork down to the portions of said rollers carrying the nippers 16. Thesenippers act to sever thestalks from the ears, and the stalks so severeddrop onto the slatted platform 45 and from said platform are conveyed bythe conveyer-belt 47 to and between the feed rollers 50 50, passing frombetween said feedrollers onto a guide-strip 60 and thence into thecasing 36 of the shredding and cutting mechanism.Thisshreddingandcuttingmechanism then acts to cut and tear the cornstalkinto shreds, and these out or shredded portions pass down the conduit 37and into the fancasing, where they are acted upon by the fan a andforced up the conduit 41 to the place of deposit. The cars of corn areof course left on the top surfaces of the husking-rollers and slide downsaid rollers and before leaving By thisthe rear ends thereof are actedupon by the huskingpins 14 and stripped of their husks, the said huskspassing between the rollers with the stalks and being caught by theslatted platform 45. The husked ears pass ofi the rear ends of therollers and into a suitable receptacle for receiving the same. If in theoperation of husking any of the corn should be shelled from the ears andpass between the rollers onto the slatted platform 45, said shelled cornis free to pass through the spaces or openings 46 of said platform andbe caught in the receptacle 58. Such shelled corn is free to pass out ofthe discharge-opening 59 of the receptacle and into a suitablecontaining device. This provides an efficient means for separating theshelled'corn from the husks and stalks, and the movement of theconveyer-belt 47 over the platform 45 causes an agitation of the stalks,husks, and shelled corn, and consequently effectually separates theshelled corn and permits the same to pass through the openings 46. Itwill be understood that the bundles or sheaves placed in the hopper 18are tied with a band or cord, and as the cutter-bar 28 is given areciprocating movement by means of its crank connection with the shaft34, which shaft is rotated through the medium of the sprocketchain 55,the cord or band is readily cut and the stalks thereby permitted tospread over the lowerportion of the hopper.

It is necessary that the rotation of y the lower feed-roll 50 should becommunicated to the upper feed-roll 50, and to accomplish this I providecorresponding ends of the journals of said feed-rolls with intermeshingpinions 50 50 The fan-casing and contiguous parts are separable from theframework 5at the line 61, being detachably connected at that point byany desired means. When it is desired to convert the machine from a cornhusking and shredding machineinto'an ensilage-cutter, the belts 42 and.55 are removed. The

IIO

entire upper frame 7 is next removed, and as the cutter-bar 28 and thehusking-rollers,"together with related parts, are carried by this framesaid parts are necessarily removed therewith. The fan-casing 38 is nextremoved. An upper frame 62, which is in the form of a hopper, is nowadjusted to the inclined beams 10. with end posts 63, which are adjustedto fit within the keepers 9, so as to be removably secured thereto, thesame as in the case of the frame 7; A part 64, which constitutes thelower end of the conduit 37, is now adjusted and detachably secured tosaid conduit at the point (31. This lower end of the conduitleads toconveyer mechanism, which isof theusual form of construction,consistingof a frame work 64 and an endless carryingbelted The endless belt 65 atits lower end passes around a roller 66, mounted on the shaft. 39, andthence extends upwardly at an incline and around another roller (notshown) at the upper end of the conveying mechanism. A crossed belt 67connects the pulleys 4t3 and 44, and thereby drives the carrying-belt inthe proper direction to elevate the material deposited thereon.

In the operation of the ensilage-cutter the ensilage is placed in thehopper 62 and thence falls onto the conveyor 47 and is carried upwardlythereby andbetween the rolls 50 50, said rolls carrying the materialinto the easing 36, where it is acted upon by the cutting and shreddingmechanism. After the material is cut it passes down the conduit 37 andis deposited on the endless carrier 64 and conveyed thereby to a placeof deposit.

From the foregoing description of my ma chine it will be seen that theconstruction is such that most of the working parts are disposedcompactly at the forward end of the machine and that also theconstruction of the lower frame is such as to adapt either an upperframe carrying husking-rollers and other necessary parts to make themachine operative as a husking and shredding machine to be readilyattached and detached and when detached another hopper-like framesubstituted therefor, which, together with the removal of the fan-casingand the substitution therefor of an endless carrier, will convert thehusking and shredding machine into a complete and efficientensilage-cutter.

While I have heretofore taken out Letters Patent No. 677,471, dated July2, 1901, for improvements in combined corn-huskers andfodder-shredders,yet I do not herein claim any features claimed in saidprior patent; but

What I do claim is 1. The combination of alower frame, an upper frameremovably fitted thereto, means for causing the material fed into themachine to pass from one end of said machine toward the opposite endthereof, rotatable feed-rolls at the end of the machine adapted toreceive the material so fed therebetween, rotatable cutting andshredding mechanism adapted to act on thematerial as it leaves thefeed-rolls, and

means for conveying material from the machine, after said material hasbeen acted upon by the cutting and shredding mechanism.

2. The combination of a frame, cutting mechanism carried by the frame,rotatable husking-rollers j ournaled in the frame, a platform below thehusking-rollers and provided with a series of open spaces through whichshelled corn is adapted to pass, and an endless conveyer running oversaid platform and adapted to convey to the cutting mechanism thematerial passing between and falling below the husking-rollers.

3. The combination of a frame, a main drive-shaft mounted therein at theforward end of the frame and having a toothed wheel thereon, anauxiliary shaft having a toothed wheel engaged by the toothed Wheel ofthe main shaft, and also having a beveled gearwheel mounted thereon,husking-rollers j ournaled in the frame, the corresponding ends of thejournals of said rollers provided with intermeshing gear-wheels,and theopposite journal of one of the rollers provided with a beveledgear-wheel meshing with the beveled gearwheel of the auxiliary shaft, anendless conveyer below the bushing-rollers, feed-rollers at the forwardend of the conveyer, said feedrollers being geared together, and thejournal of one of said rollers provided with a pinion, said pinion beingin mesh with a toothed wheel on the drive-shaft, asystem of gearingbetween said pinion of the feed-roll and the forward roll of theconveyer mechanism, cutting and shredding mechanism mounted on the mainshaft, a fan-casing below the cutting and shredding mechanism, a fanwithin said casing, and a belt connection between the fanshaft and themain shaft.

4. The combination of a frame, rotatable husking-rollers journaledtherein, the forward portions of said rollers provided with means forseparating the stalks from the ears of corn, and the remaining portionsof said rollers provided with husking means, a hopper at the upperportion of the frame, and a board arranged above the rollers andextending at a downward incline from the rear end of the hopper towardthe front end thereof for such a distance as to compel, in the firstplace, the grasping by the separating ends of the rollers of the ends ofthe cornstalks which project beyond the inclined board, and saidinclined board thereby also adapted to tilt the stalks toward a verticalposition.

5. The combination of an upper frame, means for causing the material fedinto the machine to pass from one end of said machine to the other,rotatable feed-rolls carried by the upper frame, and arranged at one endof said frame, and adapted to receive therebetween the material fedthrough the machine, rotatable cutting and shredding mechanism carriedby the upper frame and arranged in said upper frame in position to acton the material as it leaves the feed-rolls, a lower frame to which theupper frame is removably fitted, and means for conveying the materialfrom the machine, after said material has been acted upon by the cuttingand shredding mechanism, said means being carried by the lower frame.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AUGUST ROSENTHAL.

Witnesses:

A. L. MORSELL, ANNA V. FAUST.

